Film enthusiasts were left heartbroken on Wednesday morning following the announcement that Top Gun and Batman star Val Kilmer had passed away at 65. The Hollywood legend, who had previously overcome cancer, succumbed to pneumonia, his daughter Mercedes confirmed.

Val is survived by his two children, Mercedes and Jack, both of whom have followed in their parents' acting footsteps. He shared his children with his ex-wife, Joanne Whalley. But what led to the breakdown of the actors' marriage?

The Hollywood star tied the knot with British-born actress Joanne after they met on the set of Ron Howard's 1988 children's fantasy film Willow. They quickly fell in love and got married in the same year.

After their wedding, Joanne relocated to Los Angeles to be with Val and took on the name Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, reports the Mirror.

Joanne has also starred in films such as The Virgin Queen and A Texas Funeral, and appeared on television series including The Edge of Darkness and Gossip Girl.

She shared screen time with Val on four occasions, including in Willow and Kill Me Again. However, they separated in 1995, with Joanne citing "irreconcilable differences" as the cause for their divorce.

According to The Times, their marriage was strained due to "constant rumours about his on-set romances" and Val's status as a sex symbol.

Despite their divorce, the couple continued to co-parent and even starred together two more times post-separation, appearing in Played in 2006 and Twixt in 2011.

Val Kilmer's marriage to Joanne Whalley ended in a devastating split, with the actor discovering he was getting divorced while watching CNN in a hotel room, as reported by the Tampa Bay Times. The publication quoted Kilmer saying, "no fun".

Speaking to the outlet, Kilmer revealed his divorce was "the second most expensive in New Mexico" and occurred "only two months after the birth of their second child."

Despite being romantically linked with several high-profile women throughout his career, Val Kilmer opened up about his solitary love life in his memoir, confessing in 2020: "I haven't had a girlfriend in 20 years. The truth is I am lonely part of every day."

Kilmer has been associated with stars such as Angelina Jolie, Cindy Crawford, and Cher, but he confessed that it was actress Daryl Hannah who captured his heart above all others.

Following the heartbreaking news of Val Kilmer's passing, tributes have flooded in. Notably, the official Top Gun Twitter/X account paid homage, stating: "Remembering Val Kilmer, whose indelible cinematic mark spanned genres and generations. RIP Iceman." Fans also expressed their sorrow on his last social media post, leaving heartfelt messages of condolence.